Carpenter, Dixon head last practice before qualifying

The air at Indianapolis Motor Speedway was dense and relatively still this morning, vastly different from yesterday’s hot and gusty conditions, and the speeds reflected this as drivers attempted four-lap qualifying simulation runs.

In Group 1, Jimmie Johnson turned the fastest lap with the aid of a tow, a 233.961mph, and turned a 233.7 four-lap average. However, in the no-tow speed charts, Ed Carpenter Racing-Chevrolet’s Rinus VeeKay produced a 233.206 and Santino Ferrucci’s Dreyer & Reinbold Racing-Chevy turned a 232.781.

Andretti Autosport duo Colton Herta and Marco Andretti, looked too well planted which suggested too much drag, although Herta was still able to produce third fastest lap in the Group with a 231.911 effort.

When Group 2 headed out there, three-time Indy polesitter Ed Carpenter produced a 234.410 lap but it was with the aid of a tow. How misleading a lap with a tow can be was illustrated in Group 1 by the Juncos Hollinger Racing car of Callum Ilott, who turned a 233.308 with the aid of a draft but a still-impressive 231.505mph without it.

Both Scott Dixon and Alex Palou looked strong, the former turning a 234.093mph (with a tow) and the latter producing 232.415 without assistance.

Then Alexander Rossi ran a 233.295, 232.685, 232.464 and 231.616, all without a tow. That first lap was the fastest no-tow lap of the session until Dixon went for a second run.

His 233.340mph opener started a strong four-lap average of 232.875mph, the best without the aid of a tow.

Graham Rahal twice had to abort his runs with vibration issues.

The Team Penske trio were among those who didn’t bother coming out, since they are low down the qualifying order, so current track conditions were unrepresentative of what they will encounter.

Qualifying order for initial runs, Day 1